Brașov - Gorgeous City in Romania

[Ataman]

Austrian cities look fairly "German" as well, except most of them are located between mountains.

So when people see architecture with a "German" influence with mountains in the backdrop, they think of Austria/Bavaria/Switzerland. In this case, it would be Austria.

-Ataman

[nebunul]

Originally Posted by Ataman

Austrian cities look fairly "German" as well, except most of them are located between mountains.

So when people see architecture with a "German" influence with mountains in the backdrop, they think of Austria/Bavaria/Switzerland. In this case, it would be Austria.

-Ataman

Yeah but you and I both know the truth - it’s German. Who cares what the untrained eye thinks?!

[Cosmin]

Braşov reminds me of Graz (Austria)...


Btw, that winter photo is just...

[nebunul]

Brasov seen from the summit of Tampa Mountain

Fringed by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture, as well as a wealth of historical attractions, Brasov is one of the most visited places in Romania.

Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels*, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance and has been used as backdrop in many recent period films.

The location of the city at the intersection of trade routes linking the Ottoman Empire and western Europe, together with certain tax exemptions, allowed Saxon merchants to obtain considerable wealth and exert a strong political influence in the region. This was reflected in the city’s German name, Kronstadt, as well as in its Latin name, Corona, meaning Crown City (hence, the coat of arms of the city which is a crown with oak roots).

Fortifications were erected around the city and continually expanded, with several towers maintained by different craft guilds, according to medieval custom.

Stroll around the old Town Hall Square (Piata Sfatului) where you can admire colorfully painted and ornately trimmed baroque structures. Take a peek inside the Black Church (Biserica Neagra), the largest gothic church in Romania. Its name derives from damage caused by the Great Fire of 1689, when flames and smoke blackened its walls. The interior is impressive and well-kept and houses one of the largest organs in Eastern Europe.

http://www.romaniatourism.com/brasov.html

[skySK]

[skySK]

Brasov at night

[skySK]

[skySK]

Poiana Brasov

[skySK]

Aerial view













Centrul Civic







The Church St. Bartolomeu (XIII century)

[nebunul]

Originally Posted by skyskrpr

Aerial view

Naisssssssssss

[skySK]

Pietrele lui Solomon














Hotel Aro Palace (1938-1939)



Poiana Brasov










Postavarul


Piatra Craiului

[skySK]

Rope Street

[skySK]

Poiana Brasov

[Murci]

Brasov is beautiful and Ihave seen some pics with Christmas decoration and it looks like a fairytale or from a Christmas Card .
Romania has beautiful cities .

[skingrad]

Now that's a place I would visit...love it

[nebunul]

[skySK]

7 Stairs Canyon

"7 Stairs" waterfall is the second in Europe as length. It has a level difference of about 120 meters. The canyon is composed of seven consecutive waterfalls.
Location: at a 5 kilometers distance from Brasov, to Dambul Morii
Form DN1 there is a ramification to south-east. Here is a forest road that starts close to Dambul Morii chalet. There is a yellow sign which leads to the canyon. From this road, at a certain moment there is another ramification: one of the roads is with the red spot and the other one with a blue triangle. The road with the blue sign goes near the Bear’s Precipice. As you go ahead you will se again the "Familiar Road"that takes you to the Piatra Mare chalet – the red band.
The range to the waterfall goes through the forest and lasts about an hour. From here, the tourists can climb fallowing the water, to the first step of the waterfall. This is situated at 8 meters altitude. Climbing the metallic stairs, you can cross the seven steps of the water fall. Each of them has different highs, but no more than 30 meters. The beauty is absolutely amazing. The scenery is waste and wild. The climbing is done through a rocky ravine, on metallic stairs which have been recently fixed. The waterfall completes the scenery.
The final destination is Piatra Mare. The rocky walls of the canyon have 40-50 meters high and the distance between them is of no more than 2 meters. The air is fresh, the meadows clean and the natural landscapes are absolutely beautiful. This place is a delight for all the tourists. At the top end of the quays, there is a path that goes to the Bear’s Precipice. After the exit from the quays, the path follows the water, but the range is a bit difficult because of the stones. When you reach the skirts of the forest, the path goes to Poiana Sura.
When you return, you can use other ranges that lead to Dambul Morii chalet, to Timisul de Sus or even to Predeal, through Cioplea.
http://www.brasov.ro/indexeng.php3


http://www.karpatenwilli.com






























http://alpinet.org

[skySK]

Brasov before world war II







Citadel, Brasov Fortress











In 1524 a semi-circle tower was built here, and then the place was surrounded by a wall. In 1529 in the midst of the battle between John I and Ferdinand, the town of Brasov took king Ferdinand’s side. Petru Rareş the Moldavian vajda who supported king John beat the emperor’s army, conquered and demolished the citadel. Later the walls were reconditioned but a fire burnt them down. In 1625 the 81m deep well was rebuilt in the inside yard. The square fortress, whith Italian bastions on its corners and watchtowers, has got one entrance. There used to be a drawbridge leading to it. In 1688 some of the citizens found shelter here from the Habsburg troops. In 1690 the emperor took hold of the fortress and oppressed the town for a long time. In 1773 the Holy Roman emperor Josef II commenced its renovation. Nine years later he made a sales proposal to the town. The town did not accept the proposal, thus the fortress functioned as a prison for Turkish and later on for French prisoners. During the plague it functioned as quarantine. In 1917 the Austrian empress Caroline came here, in 1848 the fortress was occupied by general Bem’s troops, while in 1894 by the czar’s troops. In the forties it was renovated but remained unused for a while. Today it houses a restaurant.



Black Church







Brasov's most important landmark, the Black Church, the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul, towers over Piata Sfatului and the old town. Originally dedicated to Virgin Marry the church was Roman-Catholic for more than a century and a half and later with the reformation sweeping across Europe it became a Lutheran one. Service is still held today for the small German community from Brasov on Sundays.
The Black Church has a turbulent history: built between 1385 and 1477 on the site of an earlier church (destroyed by Mongol invasions in 1242), the construction of the Marienkirche was hampered by extensive damage caused by Turkish raids in 1421. The church was given its new name after disaster struck again in 1689, when the 'Great Fire, set by Hapsburg invaders, leveled most of the town, heavily damaged the church, blackening its walls. Restoration took almost 100 years. Of the two towers planned, only one (65,6m high) was finished. The year 1477 is written in Gothic letters on the front gate, the only piece made in wood that resisted the fire. The original Gothic interior has suffered under the restorations, and the lofty, light space you see nowadays is mostly Baroque. Most of the objects inside the church date from the reconstruction time except for the baptismal font which was cast in bronze by a local craftsman in 1450.
The church is built of friable grit stones and andesite arranged in cubic shape. That's the reason why the statues placed on the exteriors couldn't survive the time and had to be replaced by new ones. The oldest statue still standing belongs to Saint Peter and it is to be seen on the Southern part of the church.

The church comprises six portals, representing different architectural styles from Gothic to Renaissance style. The portal placed on the East side of the church was built in 1436 by Matei Corvin, a Transylvanian ruler. He also added a fresco to the interior gate. Inside the church there are three naves split by pillars. Gothic elements mix with Baroque.
On the Southeast portal there is a fresco, dating 15th century, representing Saint Mary sitting on a throne with Jesus in her arms, surrounded by angels and Saint Ecaterina and Barbara.
On the North side there is a Golden gate with a small portico placed somewhere between the buttresses. The portico is covered by a simple ogive and on the facade there is a semicircular arch. Right above there are sculptured leaves, reminiscence of the Gothic style.
The Black Church exhibits the heaviest mobile bell in Romania (6 t), murals in the Italian Renaissance style and an organ, with 4,000 pipes, 7 scales and 4 key boards. It was built in 1838-1839 by the organ creator Buchholz from Berlin and it ranks among the biggest organs in the South-Eastern Europe. It is the only organ of the Buchholz's firm which has preserved its original form. The organ recitals held here are very famous and many tourists attend them.
The Black Church has the richest collection of Anatolian carpets in all Europe. Most of them date from the 17th and 18th centuries. They come from Brussa, Uschak and Ghiordes, famous Anatolian names for carpet weaving. They were donated by the city's merchants on their return from Orient to show their gratitude towards God. The church windows have recently been fit out with special UV-filtering glass to protect the 119 fabulous carpets.
Exiting the church, in the courtyard, you will see Johannes Honterus'(1498-1549) statue (2.5 m high). He was an important reformer and humanist who became Stadtpfarrer (priest) a few years after bringing Lutheranism to Brasov in 1542. The statue was cast in bronze by the German sculpture, Harra Magnussen. The public saw the statue for the first time on August 1898, when they celebrated 400 years since Johannes Honterus was born.
http://www.brasovtravelguide.ro/en/b...ack-church.php



Bartolomeu Church - The oldest architectural site of Brasov. Its building started in 1260



Saint Bartholomew Church is considered to be the oldest architectural monument in Brasov. Built in 1223, this church is impressive not only for its silhouette in Roman style with early Gothic elements but also for its massive surrounding walls. One can admire the ancient sundial on the Southern side of the tower. Fragments of genuine fresco are amazingly well preserved in one of the chapels.



St. Peter`s and St. Paul`s Church







The cathedral was erected during 1776-1882 on the ruins of a church. It is the architectural masterpiece of the architect Iosif Carol Lamasch and it is considered to be the most representative building for the Baroque style in Brasov. The architecture of the main facade is pure Baroque and comprises a lot of decorative elements. The arches are decorated with geometrical figures and flowers. The coat of arms of the arch, sculptured in stone, has on one side Transylvania's emblem and on the other one, Brasov's emblem.
The Roman-Catholic St. Peter`s and St. Paul`s Churches stand out through their Baroque architectural elements. The main altar has the figures of the four evangelists carved in gold-studded wood. There are also six lateral altars decorated with sculptures and paintings. The organ dates from 1918-1940 and was made in Timisoara. The stained-glass windows were brought from Budapest and dates from the 19th century. Inside the church there is a magnificent cross from 1782 which stands for the Crucifixion of Christ.



Saint Nicholas Church



Saint Nicholas Church (Romanian: Biserica Sfântul Nicolae) is a Romanian Orthodox church in Braşov, dominating the historic district of Şchei.
The church was established in 1292. It was mentioned in a Papal bull issued in 1399 by Pope Boniface IX. Starting in 1495, the church was rebuilt in stone by the locals, with help from Vlad Călugărul, Voivode (Prince) of Wallachia. More help was provided around 1512 by Neagoe Basarab.
Initially built in the Gothic style, it was later redone in the Baroque style. It has frescoes painted by the renowned muralist Mişu Popp.



Holy Trinity Church ("Pe Tocile")



The church was erected in 1824 by the priest Viona Pitis, with the help of the inhabitant of Schei. When the construction was finished the priest inserted a parchment imbued in oil, which reveals the history of Brasov.
Later on, the church was painted by the painters Misu Popp and Constantin Lecca.



Franciscans' Monastery



The Monastery was built by the Lutherans in 1725, on the ruins of an old building destroyed by fire. Later on, it was given to the Franciscans monks. It houses an organ (1729) with 18 scales, set on a gallery.



Romanian Orthodox Cathedral ("Adormirea Maicii Domnului")



The building of the cathedral began in 1895 under the direct order of the archpriest Bartolomeu Baiulescu and was finished in 1896. "Adormirea Maicii Domului", the masterpiece of the archimandrite G. Bruss, is a perfect copy of the Greek Church in Vienna. The only difference is the tower built above the parish house, which has elements belonging to the Byzantine style.



The Synagogue



By the end of the 19th century, there were approximately 1,200 Jews in Brasov, and a synagogue (based on a design by an Austrian Jew, Leopold Baumhorn) was built in 1901 in the neo-Roman/Moorish style.



Saint Martin Church



The church was erected somewhere at the middle of the 15th century, on the ruins of a church documentary mentioned in 1395. Its architecture is very simple, the interior being covered by a wooden roof. The facades are not decorated. Saint Martin Church was preserved in its initial form.



Orthodox-Greek Church



The church was built during 1787-1789 with the money donated by Brasov's merchants and the help of few boyars from Tara Romaneasca. In 1931 Nicolae Iorga found inside the church the grave of Emil Brancoveanu and the grave of Brancoveanu's sister. Its library keeps rare books belonging to Brancoveanu's family.
http://www.brasovtravelguide.ro/en/b...her-church.php



“First Romanian School” Museum



The first historical documents proving the existence of the school go back to 1495 but there are indications that some school activities were held here much earlier. This is also the place where most of the first printed books in Romanian language were printed by Deacon Coresi during 1588-1665.



Bran Castle - Bran









Bran Castle (German: Törzburg; Hungarian: Törcsvár), situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Braşov, Romania, is a national monument and landmark. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on Highway 73. Commonly known as "Dracula's Castle" it is famous as the home of Bram Stoker's Dracula, which has led to persistent myths that it was once the home of Vlad Ţepeş, ruler of Wallachia. While Vlad Ţepeş did not actually live in the Bran Castle, it is believed he spent two days locked in the dungeon while the Ottomans controlled Transylvania. The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. Tourists can see the interior individually or by a guided tour. At the bottom of the hill is a small open air museum park exhibiting traditional Romanian peasant structures (cottages, barns, etc.) from across the country.
Bran Castle was originally built as a stronghold by the Teutonic Knights in 1212. The first documentary attestation of Bran Castle is the act issued by Louis I of Hungary on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Braşov) the privilege to build the Citadel. The castle was first used in 1378 in defense against the Turks, and later became a customs post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. The castle briefly belonged to Mircea the Elder of Wallachia. From 1920, the castle became a royal residence. It was the principal home of Queen Marie, and is decorated largely with artifacts from her time, including traditional furniture and tapestries that she collected to highlight Romanian crafts and skills. It was inherited by her daughter, Princess Ileana, and was later seized by the communist regime after the expulsion of the royal family in 1948.
In 2006, the Romanian government returned the castle to Archduke Dominic of Austria, Prince of Tuscany (known as Dominic von Habsburg, an architect in New York State), son and heir of Princess Ileana.[1] In 2007, Habsburg put the castle up for sale for a price of £40 million ($78 million).[2] On July 2, 2007, Michael Gardner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Baytree Capital, the New York investment firm which has been retained to create a plan for the castle and to sell it, predicted it would sell for more than $135 million, but added that Habsburgs will only sell it to a buyer "who will treat the property and its history with appropriate respect."[3]
In September 2007, an investigation committee of the Romanian parliament stated that the retrocession of the castle to Dominic of Habsburg was illegal, as it broke the Romanian law on property and succession.[4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Castle



Rasnov Fortress - Rasnov





Rasnov Fortress (Rosenau in German), is located on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian mountains, 200m above the town of Rasnov in Romania. It is 15 km southwest of Brasov and also about 15 km from Bran Castle. The fortress is on the Bran Pass, a trade route connecting Wallachia with Transylvania. The view from the top of the castle hill is spectacular

Saxons first settled in Transylvania in the 11th century, and the Saxon town of Rasnov was founded in 1225. Following the first Tartar invasion of 1241, a series of fortresses were constructed by the Teutonic Knights to defend the people. Rasnov Fortress is one of these peasant fortresses. This castle differs from some in that it was meant to be a place of refuge for the commoners from sieges over extended periods of time. As such it had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel, and other buildings more commonly associated with a village.

The first written record for the fortress is from 1331, and when the Tartars invaded in 1335, Rasnov Fortress was already strong enough to offer resistance. The castle has an upper and lower section, with polygonal perimeter walls reaching an average height of 5m. The east side is the most heavily fortified, and the walls on both that side as well as the northwest side are doubled. The defenses include 9 towers, 2 bastions, and a drawbridge. As Turkey and Austria battled over Transylvania, arms were stockpiled in the defense corridors at the walls.

In March of 1612 Rasnov Fortress was besieged by Gabriel Bathory (a Prince of Transylvania), and surrendered in April after the secret route to their water supply was found. Bathory's forces settled into the fortress and held off two attempts to win it back by joint forces from the towns of Rasnov and Brasov. The following year a ransom was paid, and Bathory and his forces left.

With the location of their water supply no longer a secret, the need for a well inside the fortress became more evident. With the castle atop a calcareous mountain, however, it meant digging down 146m through solid rock. Work on the well began in 1623 and took 17 years to complete. The work was done by two Turkish prisoners who were promised their freedom once it was finished. The well provided extra security as it meant the people didn't have to go outside the gates at all during a siege. It was in use until 1850 when the wheel broke.

The last siege of Rasnov Fortress took place in 1690 during the last Turkish invasion of Transylvania. It was damaged by fire in 1718 and rebuilt the following year. The next major damage occurred as the result of an earthquake in 1802. The fortress was last used as a place of refuge during the revolution of 1848, and was abandoned after that. Reconstruction is currently being undertaken at the fortress.

http://stronghold2.heavengames.com/history/cw/cw110

[nebunul]

Nice one skyskrpr

[skySK]